Shoalhaven councillor, Dr Tonia Gray, has been preselected as the Greens candidate for Kiama in the March 2023 State Election.

Dr Gray is the second endorsed candidate for the electorate, with Labor candidate Kaitlin McInerney throwing her hat in the ring in August.

Kiama has been held by Gareth Ward MP since 2011, who was suspended from Parliament earlier this year when sexual assault charges were laid. He has not yet announced whether he will run again as an independent. The Liberal Party has nominations open for pre-selection.

A Professor in the School of Education at Western Sydney University, Dr Gray relocated to Berry 16 years ago, after living in Kiama for 13 years.

“Moving to a socially just, ecologically sustainable, and clean economic future for us all are my core objectives,” she says. 

“The Greens in NSW have a comprehensive 50 point policy plan to support those objectives.”

She sees the five principal tasks as:

• tackling climate justice by rapidly transitioning to renewable energy and public ownership of key energy assets
• demanding expanded funding for world class education, public housing, hospitals, public transport and social services
• protecting our precious natural environments and productive agricultural landscapes 
• restoring integrity and respect to politics and ending dirty donations 
• working with First Peoples to establish a path for sovereignty and meaningful treaties.

Born in Wollongong, as the daughter/granddaughter of Port Kembla steelworkers, Dr Gray was educated in the public sector, and graduated as a high school teacher from the University of Wollongong. She returned to lecture there in the School of Education from 1989 to 2012.

She has a Masters in Community Health (USA), a Doctorate in Education and is currently in a senior leadership role at Western Sydney University. 

“I have sharpened my skills in ethical, compassionate, and civic-minded leadership” she says.